vanity fair(名利场)-第142章

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with　a　visit。
Wherever　the　party　stopped；　and　an　opportunity　was
offered；　Mr。　Jos　left　his　own　card　and　the　Major's　upon
〃Our　Minister。〃　It　was　with　great　difficulty　that　he　could
be　restrained　from　putting　on　his　cocked　hat　and　tights
to　wait　upon　the　English　consul　at　the　Free　City　of
Judenstadt；　when　that　hospitable　functionary　asked　our
travellers　to　dinner。　　He　kept　a　journal　of　his　voyage　and
noted　elaborately　the　defects　or　excellences　of　the　various
inns　at　which　he　put　up；　and　of　the　wines　and　dishes　of
which　he　partook。
As　for　Emmy；　she　was　very　happy　and　pleased。　　Dobbin
used　to　carry　about　for　her　her　stool　and　sketch…book；
and　admired　the　drawings　of　the　good…natured　little　artist
as　they　never　had　been　admired　before。　　She　sat　upon
steamers'　decks　and　drew　crags　and　castles；　or　she
mounted　upon　donkeys　and　ascended　to　ancient　robber…
towers；　attended　by　her　two　aides…de…camp；　Georgy　and
Dobbin。　　She　laughed；　and　the　Major　did　too；　at　his　droll
figure　on　donkey…back；　with　his　long　legs　touching　the
ground。　　He　was　the　interpreter　for　the　party；　having　a
good　military　knowledge　of　the　German　language；　and
he　and　the　delighted　George　fought　the　campaigns　of　the
Rhine　and　the　Palatinate。　　In　the　course　of　a　few　weeks；
and　by　assiduously　conversing　with　Herr　Kirsch　on　the
box　of　the　carriage；　Georgy　made　prodigious　advance　in
the　knowledge　of　High　Dutch；　and　could　talk　to　hotel
waiters　and　postilions　in　a　way　that　charmed　his　mother
and　amused　his　guardian。
Mr。　Jos　did　not　much　engage　in　the　afternoon
excursions　of　his　fellow…travellers。　　He　slept　a　good　deal
after　dinner；　or　basked　in　the　arbours　of　the　pleasant
inn…gardens。　　Pleasant　Rhine　gardens！　　Fair　scenes　of　peace
and　sunshinenoble　purple　mountains；　whose　crests　are
reflected　in　the　magnificent　streamwho　has　ever　seen
you　that　has　not　a　grateful　memory　of　those　scenes　of
friendly　repose　and　beauty？　To　lay　down　the　pen　and
even　to　think　of　that　beautiful　Rhineland　makes　one
happy。　　At　this　time　of　summer　evening；　the　cows　are
trooping　down　from　the　hills；　lowing　and　with　their　bells
tinkling；　to　the　old　town；　with　its　old　moats；　and　gates；
and　spires；　and　chestnut…trees；　with　long　blue　shadows
stretching　over　the　grass；　the　sky　and　the　river　below
flame　in…crimson　and　gold；　and　the　moon　is　already　out；
looking　pale　towards　the　sunset。　　The　sun　sinks　behind
the　great　castle…crested　mountains；　the　night　falls　suddenly；
the　river　grows　darker　and　darker；　lights　quiver　in　it
from　the　windows　in　the　old　ramparts；　and　twinkle
peacefully　in　the　villages　under　the　hills　on　the　opposite　shore。
So　Jos　used　to　go　to　sleep　a　good　deal　with　his　bandanna
over　his　face　and　be　very　comfortable；　and　read　all
the　English　news；　and　every　word　of　Galignani's　admirable　
newspaper　（may　the　blessings　of　all　Englishmen　who
have　ever　been　abroad　rest　on　the　founders　and　proprietors
of　that　piratical　print！　　）　and　whether　he　woke　or
slept；　his　friends　did　not　very　much　miss　him。　　Yes；　they
were　very　happy。　　They　went　to　the　opera　often　of
eveningsto　those　snug；　unassuming；　dear　old　operas　in　the
German　towns；　where　the　noblesse　sits　and　cries；　and
knits　stockings　on　the　one　side；　over　against　the　bourgeoisie
on　the　other；　and　His　Transparency　the　Duke　and　his
Transparent　family；　all　very　fat　and　good…natured；　come
and　occupy　the　great　box　in　the　middle；　and　the　pit　is
full　of　the　most　elegant　slim…waisted　officers　with　straw…
coloured　mustachios；　and　twopence　a　day　on　full　pay。
Here　it　was　that　Emmy　found　her　delight；　and　was
introduced　for　the　first　time　to　the　wonders　of　Mozart　and
Cimarosa。　　The　Major's　musical　taste　has　been　before
alluded　to；　and　his　performances　on　the　flute　commended。
But　perhaps　the　chief　pleasure　he　had　in　these　operas
was　in　watching　Emmy's　rapture　while　listening　to　them。
A　new　world　of　love　and　beauty　broke　upon　her　when
she　was　introduced　to　those　divine　compositions；　this
lady　had　the　keenest　and　finest　sensibility；　and　how　could
she　be　indifferent　when　she　heard　Mozart？　The　tender
parts　of　〃Don　Juan〃　awakened　in　her　raptures　so
exquisite　that　she　would　ask　herself　when　she　went　to　say
her　prayers　of　a　night　whether　it　was　not　wicked　to　feel
so　much　delight　as　that　with　which　〃Vedrai　Carino〃　and
〃Batti　Batti〃　filled　her　gentle　little　bosom？　But　the　Major；
whom　she　consulted　upon　this　head；　as　her　theological
adviser　（and　who　himself　had　a　pious　and　reverent　soul）；
said　that　for　his　part；　every　beauty　of　art　or　nature　made
him　thankful　as　well　as　happy；　and　that　the　pleasure　to
be　had　in　listening　to　fine　music；　as　in　looking　at　the　stars
in　the　sky；　or　at　a　beautiful　landscape　or　picture；　was　a
benefit　for　which　we　might　thank　Heaven　as　sincerely　as
for　any　other　worldly　blessing。　　And　in　reply　to　some　faint
objections　of　Mrs。　Amelia's　（taken　from　certain　theological
works　like　the　Washerwoman　of　Finchley　Common
and　others　of　that　school；　with　which　Mrs。　Osborne　had
been　furnished　during　her　life　at　Brompton）　he　told　her
an　Eastern　fable　of　the　Owl　who　thought　that　the
sunshine　was　unbearable　for　the　eyes　and　that　the
Nightingale　was　a　most　overrated　bird。　　〃It　is　one's　nature　to
sing　and　the　other's　to　hoot；〃　he　said；　laughing；　〃and
with　such　a　sweet　voice　as　you　have　yourself；　you　must
belong　to　the　Bulbul　faction。〃
I　like　to　dwell　upon　this　period　of　her　life　and　to　think
that　she　was　cheerful　and　happy。　　You　see；　she　has　not
had　too　much　of　that　sort　of　existence　as　yet；　and　has　not
fallen　in　the　way　of　means　to　educate　her　tastes　or　her
intelligence。　　She　has　been　domineered　over　hitherto　by
vulgar　intellects。　　It　is　the　lot　of　many　a　woman。　　And　as
every　one　of　the　dear　sex　is　the　rival　of　the　rest　of　her
kind；　timidity　passes　for　folly　in　their　charitable
judgments；　and　gentleness　for　dulness；　and　silencewhich　is
but　timid　denial　of　the　unwelcome　assertion　of　ruling
folks；　and　tacit　protestantismabove　all；　finds　no　mercy
at　the　hands　of　the　female　Inquisition。　　Thus；　my　dear　and
civilized　reader；　if　you　and　I　were　to　find　ourselves　this
evening　in　a　society　of　greengrocers；　let　us　say；　it　is
probable　that　our　conversation　would　not　be　brilliant；　if；　on
the　other　hand；　a　greengrocer　should　find　himself　at　your
refined　and　polite　tea…table；　where　everybody　was　saying
witty　things；　and　everybody　of　fashion　and　repute　tearing
her　friends　to　pieces　in　the　most　delightful　manner；　it　is
possible　that　the　stranger　would　not　be　very　talkative　and
by　no　means　interesting　or　interested。
And　it　must　be　remembered　that　this　poor　lady　had
never　met　a　gentleman　in　her　life　until　this　present
moment。　　Perhaps　these　are　rarer　personages　than　some　of
us　think　for。　　Which　of　us　can　point　out　many　such　in　his
circlemen　whose　aims　are　generous；　whose　truth　is
constant；　and　not　only　constant　in　its　kind　but　elevated
in　its　degree；　whose　want　of　meanness　makes　them
simple；　who　can　look　the　world　honestly　in　the　face　with
an　equal　manly　sympathy　for　the　great　and　the　small？
We　all　know　a　hundred　whose　coats　are　very　well　made；
and　a　score　who　have　excellent　manners；　and　one　or　two
happy　beings　who　are　what　they　call　in　the　inner　circles；
and　have　shot　into　the　very　centre　and　bull's…eye　of　the
fashion；　but　of　gentlemen　how　many？　Let　us　take　a　little
scrap　of　paper　and　each　make　out　his　list。
My　friend　the　Major　I　write；　without　any　doubt；　in
mine。　　He　had　very　long　legs；　a　yellow　face；　and　a　slight
lisp；　which　at　first　was　rather　ridiculous。　　But　his　thoughts
were　just；　his　brains　were　fairly　good；　his　life　was　honest
and　pure；　and　his　heart　warm　and　humble。　　He　certainly
had　very　large　hands　and　feet；　which　the　two　George
Osbornes　used　to　caricature　and　laugh　at；　and　their　jeers
and　laughter　perhaps　led　poor　little　Emmy　astray　as　to
his　worth。　　But　have　we　not　all　been　misled　about　our
heroes　and　changed　our　opinions　a　hundred　times？　Emmy；
in　this　happy　time；　found　that　hers　underwent　a　very　great
change　in　respect　of　the　merits　of　the　Major。
Perhaps　it　was　the　happiest　time　of　both　their　lives；
indeed；　if　they　did　but　know　itand　who　does？　Which
of　us　can　point　out　and　say　that　was　the　culmination
that　was　the　summit　of　human　joy？　But　at　all　events；
this　couple　were　very　decently　contented；　and　enjoyed
as　pleasant　a　summer　tour　as　any　pair　that　left　England
that　year。　　Georgy　was　always　present　at　the　play；　but
it　was　the　Major　who　put　Emmy's　shawl　on　after　the
entertainment；　and　in　the　walks　and　excursions　the　young
lad　would　be　on　ahead；　and　up　a　tower…stair　or　a　tree；
whilst　the　soberer　couple　were　below；　the　Major　smoking
his　cigar　with　great　placidity　and　constancy；　whilst　Emmy
sketched　the　site　or　the　ruin。　　It　was　on　this　very　tour　that
I；　the　present　writer　of　a　history　of　which　every　word　is
true；　had　the　pleasure　to　see　them　first　and　to　make　their
acquaintance。
It　was　at　the　little　comfortable　Ducal　town　of
Pumpernickel　（that　very　place　where　Sir　Pitt　Crawley
had　been　so　distinguished　as　an　attache；　but　that　was　in
early　early　days；　and　before　the　news　of　the　Battle　of
Austerlitz　sent　all　the　English　diplomatists　in　Germany　to
the　right　about）　that　I　first　saw　Colonel　Dobbin　and
his　party。　　They　had　arrived　with　the　carriage　and　courier
at　the　Erbprinz　Hotel；　the　best　of　the　town；　and　the　whole
party　dined　at　the　table　d'hote。　　Everybody　remarked
the　majesty　of　Jos　and　the　knowing　way　in　which　he
sipped；　or　rather　sucked；　the　Johannisberger；　which　he
ordered　for　dinner。　　The　little　boy；　too；　we　observed；　had
a　famous　appetite；　and　consumed　schinken；　and　braten；
and　kartoffeln；　and　cranberry　jam；　and　salad；　and
pudding；　and　roast　fowls；　and　sweetmeats；　with　a　gallantry
that　did　honour　to　his　nation。　　After　about　fifteen　dishes；
he　concluded　the　repast　with　dessert；　some　of　which　he
even　carried　out　of　doors；　for　some　young　gentlemen　at
table；　amused　with　his　coolness　and　gallant　free…and…easy
manner；　induced　him　to　pocket　a　handful　of　macaroons；
which　he　discussed　on　his　way　to　the　theatre；　whither
everybody　went　in　the　cheery　social　little　German　place。
The　lady　in　black；　the　boy's　mamma；　laughed　and　blushed；
and　looked　exceedingly　pleased　and　shy　as　the　dinner
went　on；　and　at　the　various　feats　and　instances　of
espieglerie　on　the　part　of　her　son。　　The　Colonel
for　so　he　became　very　soon　afterwardsI　remember
joked　the　boy　with　a　great　deal　of　grave　fun；　pointing
out　dishes　which　he　hadn't　tried；　and　entreating　him　not
to　baulk　his　appetite；　but　to　have　a　second　supply　of
this　or　that。
It　was　what　they　call　a　gast…rolle　night　at　the　Royal
Grand　Ducal　Pumpernickelisch　Hofor　Court　theatre
and　Madame　Schroeder　Devrient；　then　in　the　bloom　of
her　beauty　and　genius；　performed　the　part　of　the　heroine
in　the　wonderful　opera　of　Fidelio。　　From　our　places　in　the
stalls　we　could　see　our　four　friends　of　the　table　d'hote
in　the　loge　which　Schwendler　of　the　Erbprinz　kept　for　his
best　guests；　and　I　could　not　help　remarking　the　effect
which　the　magnificent　actress　and　music　produced　upon
Mrs。　Osborne；　for　so　we　heard　the　stout　gentleman　in
the　mustachios　call　her。　　During　the　astonishing　Chorus
of　the　Prisoners；　over　which　the　delightful　voice　of　the
actress　rose　and　soared　in　the　most　ravishing　har